The pregnant woman oftentimes finds it difficult, if not impossible, to recline in a prone position. This difficulty is enhanced as the term of pregnancy increases. Medical information indicates that it may be beneficial for a pregnant woman to recline in a prone position and from a practical aspect, the pregnant woman may wish to recline in a prone position to overcome the monotony or discomfort from sleeping or reclining in a supine position or on her side for the term of the pregnancy.
Oftentimes, the pregnant woman would have to resort to a makeshift situation of piling pillows on a bed in a particular manner in order to permit her to recline in the prone position. Outdoors, or at the beach, the pregnant woman would oftentimes have to mold the shape of the sand in order to accommodate her abdomen in order to recline in a prone position.
Various attempts had been directed towards easing these discomfort in providing a pregnant woman with the ability to recline on her abdomen.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,872 to Powell disclose a maternity mattress which contained a depression to accommodate a pregnant woman's abdomen when she reclined in a prone position. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,862 to Skinner disclosed a maternity mattress which would accommodate the abdomen of a pregnant woman. These devices are cumbersome and must be used on a support surface or the floor and limit the pregnant woman to a prone position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,384 to Castelot discloses a pregnancy supporting lounge chair. This lounge chair provided a frame and webbing strips to accommodate a person in the normal fashion, and was adjustable to provide for a stretch band for use by a pregnant woman utilizing the chair in a prone position, the lateral stretch band accommodating the pregnant woman's abdomen.
While the prior art addresses the comfort of the pregnant woman by supporting her abdomen when in a prone position, none of the prior art patents address the comforting situation of the swelling of the breasts during pregnancy. Applicant's invention is directed towards a pregnancy supporting chair which will accommodate not only the expanded abdomen, but the swelling of the breasts during a pregnancy and provide a chair which can be converted from a chair to a cot and vice versa and used by either a pregnant woman or another individual.
The chair assembly disclosed herein is designed for multipurpose uses by any individual, for use as an upright chair or as a recliner in the total horizontal, position and because of its collapsible nature, can be transported easily and used at home, or outdoors. In particular, the chair is adaptable for use by a pregnant woman during the term of her pregnancy which allows for the adjustability of the chair to accommodate her abdomen and breasts comfortably during the term of the pregnancy and to provide such support comfortably without any transverse members which might impinge upon the individual's body.